Cope and De Marco Lead after Round One of Stroke Play Qualifying at Texas Junior Match Play
Elliot Cope of Spicewood leads the Boys Division after the first round of stroke play qualifying at the inaugural Texas Junior Match Play, sitting at 5-under 67 and two strokes clear of the field. In the Girls Division, Stephanie De Marco grabbed the lead with a consistent 2-over 74, holding a one-stroke advantage heading into the second round.
Leaders: Cope, who is having a season to remember as a three-time winner in 2026, opened his round as hot as anyone could ask for — carding three birdies and an eagle in his first six holes. Back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 briefly slowed him down, but the 2028 graduate steadied himself the rest of the way, adding two more birdies to set the tone for the week.
In the Girls Division, De Marco turned in a composed opening round to take the lead by one stroke. The Xavier University commit started with two bogeys in her first three holes but answered quickly with a birdie on No. 4. The back nine opened similarly, with bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11, but De Marco responded again with birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 — a sign of the resilience she’ll need heading into the second round of stroke play qualifying Tuesday.
In Contention: Logan Haul of Diboll and Team Texas Boys Division South Region Points leader Tripp Depoy of The Woodlands sit tied for second after both carding a 3-under 69 in their opening rounds. Right behind them and well within striking distance of the No. 1 seed is Edward Lehner of Dallas, who fired a 2-under 70. Knox Bernard of Waxahachie and Luke Oliver of Dallas round out the top five with even-par 72s in Round 1.
In the Girls Division, Katherine Janda of Friendswood and Izzy Brost of Highland Village sit tied for second after both carding a 3-over 75. Madeline Buckett of Magnolia holds solo fourth after a 4-over 76, while Natalie Nwoko of Austin sits in solo fifth at 6-over 78.
Weather: Monday’s conditions gave players a favorable start to the first round of stroke play qualifying. Temperatures began in the high 70s as players teed off before climbing to 90 degrees by 11 a.m. and peaking at 96 degrees by the conclusion of play, with humidity reaching 51% adding to the challenge late in the round.
Host Course: High Meadow Ranch Golf Club, located in Magnolia just northwest of Houston, opened in 1999 and has established itself as one of the premier public golf facilities in the Greater Houston area. The course was designed by former PGA Tour professional David Ogrin alongside golf course architect Tim Nugent, taking advantage of the property’s rolling terrain, towering pines, hardwood forests and natural ravines to create a memorable championship layout.
Unlike a traditional 18-hole routing, High Meadow Ranch features three distinctive six-hole loops — the Forest Loop, Pine Barrens Loop and Signature Loop — allowing for a unique playing experience. The course has earned recognition as one of Houston’s top public golf destinations thanks to its challenging design, excellent conditioning and picturesque setting within the High Meadow Ranch community.
Player of the Year Points: 1000 in the 2026 Player of the Year Points Race presented by Huntington Bank are up for grabs this weekend at the inaugural Texas Junior Match Play. Points are awarded at each tournament to the top half of each division.
Next Up: Pairings for the second round of stroke play qualifying at the Texas Junior Match Play are available and can be viewed by clicking here. At the conclusion of stroke play qualifying Tuesday, the top 16 Boys Division players and top eight Girls Division players will advance to match play, with the Boys Division round of 16 and Girls Division quarterfinals commencing Wednesday, July 8.